First time incubating - so excited!!

[Xmasbaby75]

#3 is out now! Still waiting for #1 - how do you know if he needs help?

 

[WVduckchick]

CUTENESS OVERLOAD

The one with the orange feet looks like a little rascal and the one with the black stripes on the face seems a bit shy. And the last one is the big brother

The biggest one hatched several hours before the other two. The two hatched with an hour of each other. The big one and the one with orange feet went to one new momma, another friend of mine took the little shy one. The one with orange feet was a little pistol! We delivered them about an hour away from home, and they rode nestled on my neck, or inside my jacket. That one ended up way out my sleeve!

 

[WVduckchick]

#3 is out now! Still waiting for #1 - how do you know if he needs help?

Can you see a hole at all, or just a bump in the shell?

 

[Xmasbaby75]

Can you see a hole at all, or just a bump in the shell?

There is a big hole in the first egg that externally pipped You can see a good size zip, but not all the way around. Is it possible he can't break through because the caked on mud is too thick? It is still alive, but it looks like it is drying out, and has slowed down. He was very active yesterday. Now, two have hatched, and they are using #1 as a bowling ball, but he still won't come out :-( Getting nervous!

 

[Xmasbaby75]

Here is a picture of the two that have hatched. You can see egg #1 off to the right (the muddy one that is partially zipped). Does he look like he needs help? I'm concerned about this one. It has been 27 hours since the external pip. Also, one of the ones that hatched left a big blob of yucky yellow stuff in the incubator ... is that normal?

 

[WVduckchick]

There is a big hole in the first egg that externally pipped You can see a good size zip, but not all the way around. Is it possible he can't break through because the caked on mud is too thick? It is still alive, but it looks like it is drying out, and has slowed down. He was very active yesterday. Now, two have hatched, and they are using #1 as a bowling ball, but he still won't come out :-( Getting nervous!

.

Here is a picture of the two that have hatched. You can see egg #1 off to the right (the muddy one that is partially zipped). Does he look like he needs help? I'm concerned about this one. It has been 27 hours since the external pip. Also, one of the ones that hatched left a big blob of yucky yellow stuff in the incubator ... is that normal?

That's a tough call. Last week I had one that had zipped a couple of inches then stopped. I decided I was giving it until 48 hours. By the time I checked it closer, it was too late. It died. But 2 more took almost 48 hours, and did fine on their own. At only 27 hours, I would say give it some time, especially if it has enough hole to get air. But if you feel its in distress, you can assist. The thing with ducks is that it takes them longer to absorb the yolk, and if you assist too soon, you run a bigger risk of infecting or busting their yolk. If you help, I'd just chip away a little along the zip line, enough to find its bill, and make sure its getting good air, and moisten the membrane with a little Vaseline. Don't go too far, and don't pull it out of the egg yourself.

The globby stuff is normal.

 

[WVduckchick]

Oh, I forgot to say they are adorable!!

 

[Xmasbaby75]

.

That's a tough call. Last week I had one that had zipped a couple of inches then stopped. I decided I was giving it until 48 hours. By the time I checked it closer, it was too late. It died. But 2 more took almost 48 hours, and did fine on their own. At only 27 hours, I would say give it some time, especially if it has enough hole to get air. But if you feel its in distress, you can assist. The thing with ducks is that it takes them longer to absorb the yolk, and if you assist too soon, you run a bigger risk of infecting or busting their yolk. If you help, I'd just chip away a little along the zip line, enough to find its bill, and make sure its getting good air, and moisten the membrane with a little Vaseline. Don't go too far, and don't pull it out of the egg yourself.

The globby stuff is normal.

Thanks. I think we'll wait until tonight to intervene. When can we move the hatched ones to the brooder - do we have to leave them there until they all hatch, or can we move them quick without harming the unhatched ones?

 

[revans2003]

Thanks.  I think we'll wait until tonight to intervene.  When can we move the hatched ones to the brooder - do we have to leave them there until they all hatch, or can we move them quick without harming the unhatched ones?  

The ducklings can go a couple of days with nutrients they got from the yolk. I recommend leaving them as you don't want to break the lockdown humidity. If/When you do decide to intervene I would move them to the brooder then.

 

[WVduckchick]

Leave them in there at least until the zipping one hatches, or until you decide to assist it. You don't want air to dry out that zip. If you decide to assist that one, you can pull the hatched ones then.

Also, if you have a fine mist spray bottle, (warm water) I'd have it handy. Any time you open the incubator, you can do a quick squirt (NOT ON THE EGGS, just inside the bator) to keep the humidity from dropping too drastically. Even then, do it as quickly and safely as possible.

**disclaimer.... if you have humidity problems, or have trouble keeping humidity up, I wouldn't open it at all!!!